Results 5,641-5,660 of 18,851 for speaker:Fergus O'Dowd

Financial Services Regulation (8 Dec 2011)

Fergus O'Dowd: I do not know enough about the issue, but I ask the Deputy to be very careful about any imputation of the integrity of gardaí in an action in which they might be involved if they act within the law.

Residential Property Charge (8 Dec 2011)

Fergus O'Dowd: I thank my constituency colleague, Deputy Kirk, for raising this important matter. The Local Government (Charges) Act 2009 broadened the revenue base for local authorities by introducing this charge. The non-principal private residence charge is set at €200 and liability for it falls, in the main, on rental holiday and vacant properties. Proceeds from the charge are paid to the local...

Suicide Prevention (8 Dec 2011)

Fergus O'Dowd: I thank Deputy Neville for raising this issue, which I am taking on behalf of the Minister for Health, Deputy James Reilly. I would like to acknowledge, as does everybody in the House and throughout the country, the tremendous work Deputy Neville has done and continues to do in bringing issues relating to suicide to the attention of people. The problem of suicide is a grave problem facing...

Suicide Prevention (8 Dec 2011)

Fergus O'Dowd: I thank the Deputy for his comments which I will ensure are brought directly to the attention of the Minister for Health, Deputy Reilly. The HSE's National Office for Suicide Prevention is responsible for overseeing implementation of the national strategy for action on suicide prevention. The budget for suicide prevention measures is approximately €9 million, which includes the annual...

Seanad: Local Government (Household Charge) Bill 2011 - Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Dec 2011)

Fergus O'Dowd: I thank the Senator for tabling the amendment. The Minister recognises that introducing this waiver could have the unintended effect of households in less problematic unfinished estates seeking to have their estate classified as category 3 or 4. This would potentially impact on the Government's priority target of reducing the number of such estates. In addition, there may also be pressure...

Seanad: Local Government (Household Charge) Bill 2011 - Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Dec 2011)

Fergus O'Dowd: Amendments Nos. 13, 22 and 26a are required to effect technical and drafting modifications in the Bill. They do not in any way impact on the policy or intent of the legislation. Their objective is to enhance the clarity of the text for the reader.

Seanad: Local Government (Household Charge) Bill 2011 - Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Dec 2011)

Fergus O'Dowd: This is a good debate. We would be happy to respond to the resubmitted amendments on Report Stage. Notwithstanding the points made by the Senator, many of the issues are technical. I appreciate the short notice given of the Bill. I could address these issues if I can----

Seanad: Local Government (Household Charge) Bill 2011 - Committee Stage (Resumed) (8 Dec 2011)

Fergus O'Dowd: We will be looking at this tomorrow. As I understand it, the document regarding the €100 million was submitted by the Department long before the legislation was published. The recently published Estimates Volume shows that the household charge is estimated to yield €160 million to the local government fund in 2012. That has been the clear intention of the Government and is clearly...

Local Government (Household Charge) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (14 Dec 2011)

Fergus O'Dowd: On a point of order, my speech will not take more than ten minutes maximum if that is helpful to Deputy Higgins.

Local Government (Household Charge) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (14 Dec 2011)

Fergus O'Dowd: I heard nothing from Deputy Higgins that I have not heard from him before. In the Seanad, where we had more than 11 hours of debate on the Bill, all of the arguments, including many which were not alluded to by the Deputy, were put to me and to everybody else who attended the debate. I will begin by clarifying several important points. Tens of thousands of people in this country will not...

Local Government (Household Charge) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (14 Dec 2011)

Fergus O'Dowd: I did not interrupt the Deputy and I ask him to afford me the same courtesy. In addition, all persons in receipt of a subsidy from the Health Service Executive on account of their inability to pay their mortgage - there were some 18,000 in that position at the last count - will be exempt. In the case of home owners living in what are deemed to be unfinished housing estates - there are some...

Local Government (Household Charge) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Committee Stage (14 Dec 2011)

Fergus O'Dowd: Tuigim é sin.

Local Government (Household Charge) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Committee Stage (14 Dec 2011)

Fergus O'Dowd: Glacaim leis, i dtosach, nach bhfuil aon rud pearsanta sa mhéid a dúirt an Teachta Ó hUigín thall. Glacaim leis sin. Tá an Bille seo ann toisc gur deineadh beart ag an Rialtas roimhe seo leis an EU/IMF agus toisc go gcaithfear dlí a dhéanamh chun an t-airgead a bhailiú. Níl aon dul as ag an tír seo ach é sin a dhéanamh. Níl aon rogha againn sa mhéid seo. B'fhéidir go bhfuil...

Local Government (Household Charge) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Committee Stage (14 Dec 2011)

Fergus O'Dowd: I did not interrupt anybody so perhaps there might be some manners in the Chamber.

Local Government (Household Charge) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Committee Stage (14 Dec 2011)

Fergus O'Dowd: The reason for introducing this legislation is that it is part of the EU-IMF deal. This Government is committed to the deal made by the previous Government in order to keep money coming into the country. This measure is an essential and fundamental part of that agreement. The reality is that if we do not enact it, the cheques will no longer be signed and the money will not come from the...

Local Government (Household Charge) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Committee Stage (14 Dec 2011)

Fergus O'Dowd: It is in section 12.

Local Government (Household Charge) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Final Stages (14 Dec 2011)

Fergus O'Dowd: It is excluded.

Local Government (Household Charge) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Final Stages (14 Dec 2011)

Fergus O'Dowd: To be helpful, they will be exempt.

Local Government (Household Charge) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Final Stages (14 Dec 2011)

Fergus O'Dowd: The owner.

Local Government (Household Charge) Bill 2011 [Seanad]: Committee Stage (Resumed) and Final Stages (14 Dec 2011)

Fergus O'Dowd: I thank the Deputies opposite for the variety of their contributions. I listened to them with great interest. The estimates prepared by my Department regarding the number of people will not be paying this charge indicate that the number of local authority, voluntary and co-operative housing tenants comes to 155,000; ghost estates, which are mainly in category 4 but also category 3, account...